Reppin

Nicola Correia-Damude is an amazing Guyanese Canadian Actress who you know from hits like Shadowhunters, The Boys, Burden of Truth, Republic of Sara to My Spy. And about 3 years ago, she guested on Reppin where I found her to be a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion and equity of all kinds. And I’m thrilled to welcome her back back on the show for a very special two part conversation!

Our discussion delves deep into the dynamic world of authentic representation in the entertainment industry, tapping into Nicola's experiences and wisdom.

She shares personal insights on her remarkable journey, from early career challenges to the transformative moments that shaped her stance on representation. She eloquently emphasizes the nuanced progress within diverse communities, shedding light on the disparities and the ongoing need for inclusion. Nicola's empowering journey highlights her commitment to leveraging her platform responsibly, ensuring that casting choices respect the voices of underrepresented groups.

As Nicola beautifully puts it, "We're seeing opportunity for certain groups and not others, and that is the path of progress. But I don't believe that we should settle for those small steps. We need to keep expanding and keep working on this." Her candid sharing not only echoes the struggles of past generations but also underlines the collective responsibility to create a more inclusive industry.

She’s reminds us of the power of empathy and collective action and she more passionate than ever. And she inspires me to put actions behind my values. Nicola is a force that is doing all she can to leverage positive change. Think you can handle it? Get ready and hold on tight—here’s part one of our conversation.

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Patrick Sabongui is a talented actor with a long list of impressive credits. He’s been in Netflix’s wildly popular shows Virgin River and Firefly Lane. You’ve also seen him CW’s The Flash and Showtime’s Homeland and Shameless.

He has a great body of work but throughout his career he has faced the challenges of being labeled and he’s struggled with playing and perpetuating stereotypes on screen.

Because of that, Patrick is a fierce advocate for anti-racism and representation in the arts, Patrick is co-chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee for the Union of British Columbia Performers and the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, TV and Radio Artists (UBCP/ACTRA) and on the Diversity Committee for the Jessie Richardson Awards (British Columbia’s Theatre Recognition Awards).

Patrick talks about the constant balancing act of keeping with his sense of integrity, being a good example to his community and his son with the practical needs of getting projects to provide for his family. His shares how he navigates this universal challenge and how he’s giving back.

Patrick’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatrickSabongui

Patrick’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patricksabongui/?hl=en

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Nancy Lee Grahn is an Emmy winning actress and fan favorite. Known for her portrayals as the headstrong Julia Wainwright Capwell from Santa Barbara and now, Alexis Davis on General Hospital. Over the years, Nancy has garnered a huge fan base and is most recently celebrating her 25th year on General Hospital. Nancy is known for delivering powerful performances on screen. Off screen, Nancy is also a powerhouse. She’s an unapologetic, passionate, outspoken woman who is using her platform to advocate and fight for the things she believes in. Whether you agree or not—she embraces her position and voice. Meet the woman behind the talent, gain insight into her background, her values, understand what drives her and see what she represents.

Nancy’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyLeeGrahn

Nancy’s website: https://www.nancyleegrahn.com/

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Ginger Zee is the Chief Meteorologist for ABC News, forecasting for and reporting on the nation's weather from Good Morning America to World News Tonight. Zee has been on the ground before, during and after almost every major weather event and dozens of historic storms including Hurricane Katrina. With every report, she never loses sight on the human toll these devastating storms has taken.

She’s highly respected and beloved by audiences across the United States. But what viewers may not have known was the amount of painful, trauma she has personally had to experience.

When Ginger opened her life to readers in Natural Disaster-her first best seller, the response was enormous. She put a very relatable if surprising face on depression and has helped lessen the stigma surrounding mental health issues. But Ginger tells us, Natural Disaster was "Ginger Lite" and only scratched the surface.

In this moving follow-up called A Little Closer To Home, Ginger shares her truest self. She spent most of her life shielding her vulnerabilities from the world all while being a professional people pleaser. Her stormy childhood, her ongoing struggles with crippling depression, being involved in dangerous relationships, sexual assault, her suicide attempts, and many other life experiences will resonate with readers who are likely to see themselves along the way.

In spite of its serious subject matter, Ginger is not only surviving—but thriving. On Reppin, meet this unbelievably courageous, strong woman who is sharing her lessons of healing and how you can also overcome your hardships.

Ginger’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ginger_Zee

Ginger’s Instagram: @ginger_zee

Ginger’s book A Little Closer To Home: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Closer-Home-Found-After/dp/1368042007

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Genevieve Kang is a talented actress of Chinese and Portuguese descent. She’s has an impressive list of credits that include the Nickelodeon series “Romeo!”, Guillermo del Toro’s FX’s series “The Strain”, Global TV’s “Private Eyes” opposite Jason Priestley, HBO/Cinemax series “Jett” and the YouTube Premium series “Impulse” created by Doug Liman (EDGE OF TOMORROW, the Bourne series). Currently, you can see her in Netflix’s hit Locke and Key as Jackie Veda.

Genevieve is grounded, enigmatic and self aware. Here on Reppin, she talks about how mainly seeing blonde and blue eyed people in the media, deeply effected her sense of belonging and how that informed her that being who she was—wasn’t enough. We catch up with Genevieve at a transitional time in her life. Find out where where she is in her efforts to reconcile the struggles of her younger self and how she’s doing it.

Genevieve’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/genevieve_kang

Genevieve’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genevievekng/?hl=en

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